Sinatra Sands DVD-A 2 channel stereo remix vs EOTC

Searched some old threads and didn't find much regarding the stereo remix (as opposed to the 5.1 mix) of Sinatra at the Sands DVD-A.

How does the stereo remix on this DVD-A title compare to the 1998 EOTC remaster of what I presume is the original mixes?

Does the DVD-A stereo remix have digital reverb? Compression, maximization? Any improvement over the EOTC?

 

I have this DVD-A and like the 5.1 mix a lot, It's a different experience to listen to than the original stereo mix. I don't have any CD of it, just the original mono and stereo LP's to compare it to. What does EOTC mean?

 

Entertainer Of The Century, a name affixed to a joint Capitol and Reprise series of Frank Sinatra CDs that were released in 1998, with more by Capitol in 2002.

 

I've read the DVD-A also contains a stereo (2 channel) remix in addition to the 5.1 mix.

Have you listened to the stereo remix?

Thanks!

 

It does have a stereo remix, which, IMO, is better than the 5.1 mix.

 

Point of clarification (not an answer to the question):

The EOTC ("Entertainer of the Century") edition from 1998 is NOT the original mix as used on the Reprise 1966 double-LP and the first compact disc issue from 1987.

Besides the addition of a bonus track ("Luck Be A Lady") in the middle of the track list, there are major sonic differences in the EOTC version. Notable is Sinatra's scat singing on "The Street Of Dreams," which is all but inaudible on the original LP/CD stereo mix.

The DVD-Audio version was released in 2003, with the same tracks as the 1998 EOTC CD, including the extra "Luck Be A Lady" track. It contains the following programs:

1. Dolby Digital & 5.1 Surround Sound [All DVD players]
2. Advanced Resolution Surround Sound (96kHz/24-bit) [DVD-Audio players]
3. Advanced Resolution Stereo (192kHz/24-bit) [DVD-Audio players]
4. Photo Gallery [All DVD Players]

 

Thanks! So are the tracks on the 1998 EOTC 16 bit CD version all new remixes?

 

Recording & Mixing Notes

[ I thought this might be of interest. For ease of quoted replies, I've not placed it within QUOTE tags, but it's taken verbatim from the DVD-A booklet... ]

For this DVD-Audio release, we did our best to present the magic that Mr. Sinatra and the Count Basie Orchestra created in the Copa Room in 1966.

The original 4-track master tapes, recorded by engineer Lowell Frank at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, were used for this project. United Recording Corp. supplied the recording equipment. Bill Putnam, the owner of this company, is considered to be one of the finest audio engineers. Over the years, he engineered many of Mr. Sinatra's recordings at United and Western Recorders, which were his studios in Los Angeles. Mr. Putnam was also also a celebrated equipment designer, and his Universal Audio company is well known for its recording consoles, mike preamps, and compressors. This equipment is still in use today in most studios. It is presumed that this album was recorded using one of Mr. Putnam's "610" consoles. The wonderful, bright, clean, and big sounds on these tapes play as if they were recorded by someone with great "ears" and with this type of great equipment.

Lee Herschberg, a former Warner Records staff engineer, was the tape editor on the original album. Lee has engineered countless phenomenal recordings by Mr. Sinatra, Randy Newman, and many others. He told me they originally edited this album at Wally Heider's studio (another popular recording facility) in Los Angeles, and that Reprise was in a big hurry to get the album out. There are many edits on the tapes we used to make this DVD-A, and the multitrack tapes were beautifully preserved by Mr. Herschberg, who had used them to mix the CD version of this album.

We transferred the tapes at The Magic Shop in New York. This was the studio used for the transfers for the Rolling Stones releases on ABKCO, and we used the same tape machine, a modified Ampex ATR machine with ARIA Electronics and Flux Magnetics heads. The transfers were done into Model 2 Pacific Microsonics HDCD converters. The sampling rate used was 192kHz, and the mixes were done using Pro Tools HD at 192kHz. The recordings stayed in the digital domain through the process. The only analog stages were the A/D process described here and the D/A process that occurs on your DVD-A machine.

— Elliot Mazer


ORIGINAL ALBUM CREDITS include:

Produced by Sonny Burke
Arranged and Conducted by Quincy Jones
Engineer: Lowell Frank
Tape Editor: Lee Herschberg

DVD-AUDIO CREDITS include:

Surround Sound & Stereo Remix Produced, Engineered & Mixed by Elliot Mazer
Digital Editing & Mixing: Diana Haig
Surround Sound & Stereo Mastering: Jen Wyler at Sony Music Studios
Authoring: Craig Anderson, Spencer Chrislu & David Dieckmann
DVD-Audio Produced by Robin Hurley

 

That's correct.

 

Thanks. So in your opinion, how does the stereo remix on the DVD stack up to the stereo remix on EOTC. Yes there are resolution differences, but curious if the DVD is much better.

 

My DVD-Audio player has gone south, so you'll have to get that from someone else (who probably has better ears than I do, anyway). I was never thrilled with the 5.1 mix on the DVD.

As far as the 16-bit CDs go, I can tell you that I prefer the original (1987) version. There is a loss of a lot of high-end detail on the EOTC remix.

 

This is a wonderful sounding stereo DVD-A. I compared it to the EOTC version when I got it several years ago and it just blew it away in every audiophile category. I gave the CD to my mom so I no longer have it to compare again. The 5.1 on this is probably artificial and sounds it.

 

If one buys the DVD-A, is it possible to rip the high rez stereo layer and convert it digitally to 16 bit wave or mp3 so it can be played in the car or on an ipod?

 

Technically it isn't much of a problem - you only need a software called DVDAExplorer to extract the 24/192 layer and another program to downsample the resulting hi-rez files, e.g. Audacity. However, the use of DVDAExplorer may not be legal in your country because it may involve the circumvention of some kind of copy protection (although I don't know whether the particular disc you are talking about is copy protected or not).

 

After looking for four whole years, I finally found the Sands DVD-Audio disc at a local Book Nook for $8. I don't have surround but I can tell you it sounds wonderful in 24/192 stereo through my new Benchmark DAC1.

I like this better than the MFSL LP which just came out. The mix in terms of Frank's vocals versus the orchestra is much better. It's a more "immersive experience" than the MFSL.

Along similar lines, I also today got the DVD (24/48) of Harry Connick on Broadway. Also good but of course not quite the level of Frank.

 

Wow Lee - $8 is incredible for that one these days! Congrats! A sonic treat.

Enjoy the new Benchmark DAC - it's gotten some great reviews over the years.

 

Thanks Rick. The DAC1 is terrific. Best bass I have heard on digital and as highly resolving as anything I have heard.

 

Uh-oh.

Will this be back in print? Does anyone have it? For those who have it, how's the sound quality?

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UICY-94366

 

I have it. The disc is identical to the Universal Music jewel case issue in Europe (0602527200040), which is still in print and easily obtained (Amazon UK link). Only the packaging is different (mini LP case and SHM-CD); same sound quality.

That, in turn, is the same remastering as the 1998 Reprise EOTC "Entertainer of the Century" edition, except for removal of the bonus track "Luck Be A Lady." If your interest is sound quality, save your money on those limited edition Sinatra SHM-CDs from Universal Music Japan.

 

Original mix sounds best to my ears on an early pressing Reprise LP in Stereo. On CD, I prefer the 1987 CD mastering to any later issue. The DVD-A is superb, wish there were more of those on FS.